We recently discovered that a church just round the corner from MB HQ has kitted its roof out with solar panels.

St. Silas has been serving the community in the Pentonville area since 1863. In recent years the roof tiles made from Welsh slate began to show the strain of close to 150 years exposed to the elements. Several times a year the church would get flooded by heavy rain, and an almighty downpour in the summer of 2008 meant the church needed extensive repair.

Not only were the creaking, broken tiles letting the rain in, but letting heat out and adding to the already gigantic heating bills that are standard for a building of St. Silas’ size. At about the same time, church members and community hall users embarked on an educational project to try and reduce their carbon footprints, not just at home but in the church building itself.  Through this initiative, the church discovered that they could upgrade their heating and lighting requirements by incorporating solar-voltaic tiles within the roof structure, and therefore kill two birds with one stone … so to speak.

Through a large number of donations and loans, including a significant amount from Islington Council’s climate change fund the church officially began generating their own solar power last month. As well as being able to sell back energy to the National Grid, it is estimated that the church will generate 47% of their yearly energy needs, as well as making savings of 7,027kg of CO2 emissions per year.

The appearance of the roof has barely changed, as the pioneering project integrated solar panels that were designed to be a similar size and shape as the existing tiles.

Father Shaun Richards, who is Parish Priest and Vicar at St. Silas said “the church community and local people have pulled out  all  the  stops,  The  Big  Solar  Roof  project   would  have  been  a non starter without  their commitment  and  pioneering  spirit.”

So, St. Silas is the first church in London to see the light and go solar powered. Who’s next?